Jet propulsion power unit



May 21, 1946. A. J. leowLl-:DGEy E-r AL 2,400,714

JET-PROPULS ION POWER-UNIT Filed Aug. 12, 1945 I '3 Sheets-Sheet l /irro/fA/Ey 5%34 Me@ M May 21, 1946.

A. J. ROWLEDGE ETAL JET-PROPULSION POWER-UNIT Filed Aug. 12, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 21, 1946. A. J. RowLEDGE ET Al. 2,400,714

JET-PROPULSION POWER-UNIT Filed Aug. l2, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 //v VEA/To @.5 W

M iTTOR/VE'Y Patented 'May' 21, 1946 UNITED STATES .PATENT oFFic-E JET PROPULSION POWER UNIT Arthur John Rowledge, Derby, and Thomas Shelley, Breaston, England Application August 12, 1943, Serial No. 498,418

- In Great Britain June 11, 1942 2 Claims.

This invention relates to jet-propulsion powerunits, such as are suitable for use on aircraft, of

the type comprising an air-compressor, means for r heating the air as, for example, by burning fuel in it, a turbine which is driven by the heated air or products of combustion and drives-the compressor and a reaction jet through which the exhaust gases from the turbine are delivered. The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of such power-4 Y unit which shall be of small overall dimensions,

in a jet-propulsion power-unit of the type described, the combination with a centrifugal compressor, of an annular outlet4 passage which is curved as viewed in axial section of the power unit, from a radially outward direction so -as to extend radially inwardly and then radially outwardly to provide the required length of passage for the energy conversion aforesaid within the minimum overall dimensions.

In one form according to this,invention, the aforesaid shaping is obtained by forming the passage with two successive bends each of substantially 180 but in the same direction, so that the radially outward part of the passage lies between the compressor and the radially inward part of the passage, and the passage is then continued as a number of separate ducts extending the radially' outward part of the passage in a substantially axial direction to the turbine and rearwardly directed reaction jet.

Two arrangements in accordance with this invention willl now bedescribed, by way of example only, with reference 'to the accompanying drawings in which:

.Figure 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through the first arrangement;

Figure 2 is aV section on the une 2 2 of Figline 4-4 of A propulsion power unit is mounted within a nacelle IllA which is open at its front end I I. The powerunit comprises la single-entry centrifugal blower. I2 with the air-inlet I3 situated at the forward end, and a rotor I4 which is secured on a shaft 2 I. This blower I2 delivers air radially outwards into an annular diffuser chamber I5 of `which the radially outer end is curved by an easy bend through 90 as shown at 30 and extends a short 'distance axially. The passage is then curved through 90 as shown at 3| and continued radially inwards as a' passage Il of expanding cross-section which will effect the desired conversion of the kinetic energyr of the air to pressure energy. Where this air passage approaches the central shaft of the power-unit it is again bent outwardly at I9 through 180 to form another radial part I9 of the passage which extends radially outwards between the compressor I2 and the radial portion Il of the passage and in which is mounted an oil-fuel burner 20 which is of a fan-like construction and has the fuel distributed over the blades so as to be delivered centrifugally therefrom in an intimate mixture with the air.

The burner comprises a disc 22 secured on the shaft 2| to rotate therewith and carrying a number of fan blades 40 to which a number of annular guide vanes 4I are secured. Liquid fuel is supplied from the centre of the. shaft 2I through radial passages 42 in the disc 22 (Fig. 4) to passage 43 extending lengthwise -through each blade 40. A series of outlets 44 extend from each passage 42 to the outer surface of the blade 40 and the fuel issuing from these outlets spreads over the outer surface of the blade as a thin film in intimate contact with the compressed air passing between the blades so thatcomplete' combustion takes place just outside the ring of ,blades.

rate ducts 32 (see Figure 2) which extend more or less axially through the radial portion I1 of the passage to an annular part of the vpassage.

containing guide-vaines 24 which direct these gases on to the blades of a. turbine-wheel 25 mounted at the rear end of the shaft 2l of the power-unit. .From this wheel the exhaust gases pumps and any other necessary devices.

nacelle where they'issue to atmosphere. Fixed guide-vanas 29 are provided in the bend I8 to4 direct the airow`uniformly to the burnerl and it shouldbe noted that the air passage is annularthroughout its length. It will be seen that the width-of thepart I1 ofthe passage is-increased so that its area is not reduced by the I ducts 32 that pass through it.

The various accessories indicated at 28 for the power-unit are mounted at the forward end beyond the inlet to the compressor, and may comprise a fuel pump, a starting motor, lubricating v With this arrangement, the curvature of passage yimmediately beyond the compressor is divided into two right-,angled bends so that frictional losses can. be reduced. Another advantage of this construction lis that where the separate ducts 32 for the products of combustion pass through the air-supply duct, a transfer of heat takes place to the incoming air, pre-heating it before combustion takes place. This arrangement 'also provides as compared with prior ar.-

rangements a ratherY greaterl length of passage for A the conversion of kinetic to Apressure energy in the air, vand at the same time reduces theioverail diameter and the length ofthe unit, thus vreducing the .frontal area. of the nacelle correspondingly. Y

In the above-described construction, the comentry compressor may be used as shown in Figure 3, in which the outlet passage from the compres-A sor I4 takesl the form of a number of separate ducts l 5A between which the air can. pass to the rear inlet IIA of the compressor I2. These separate ducts all open into a single annular chamber 33 which is curved so as, to extend radially inwards and outwards as above-described with reference to Figure 1.

the i A particularadvantage o! the present tions lies inthe fact that it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions, particularly transverse to the axis of the unit, as compared with known jetpropulsion units of the same power, and .that the general lay-out of the unit lends itself to eective stream-lining of the nacelle or cowling in which it is enclosed. Furthermore the area oi' the surface radiating heat tothe external atmosphere is reduced by this combustion.

. We claim:

1. In a jet-propulsion powerfunit, the com-v y I bination with a centrifugal air-compressor, of an pressor was of the single-entry type, but a doubleannular outletpassage'from the air-compressor which is curved, as viewed in axial section of the vpower-unit, from a radially outward direction through substantially so as to extend radially inwardly and then through substantially 180"- in the same direction to extend radially outwardly between the air-compressor and the radially in `ward part ofthe passage to provide the required length of passage to convert the kinetic energy of the air to pressure energy within theminix'num overall dimensionsrand which passage is -con' type and the portion of the passage nearest the compressor is formed as -a number of ducts extending over one entry to the compressor. where- -by air has access between them to that' entry. if).

ARTHURJOHN vTHOMAS sHErmY. 

